Between Darkest Hour and Midnight
by Rain and Moss
Summary: this story is about what happened between the two books:darkest hour and midnight. it is kind of like the book Firestars Quest that is coming out soon. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! UPDATES: CHAPTER 4 IS NOW HERE!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Firestar staggered as he hobbled into camp. Cinderpelt and Sandstorm flanked him, Sandstorm's tail twined with his and he allowed them to herd him to Cinderpelt's den. He flopped down in a nest on the floor. Firestar raised his head as Graystripe, his new deputy walked in.

"I'll see to the patrols, Firestar. BloodClan may still be in the area." Firestar managed to nod before he gave in to the black sleep that was dragging him down.

"Firestar, wake up." Firestar opened his eyes to see Sandstorm prodding him with a paw. She looked at him with laughing eyes. "You've been its sunrise," she mewed. "There are things to do, you know." She turned and rushed out of the den. Firestar lifted himself from the nest and shook bracken from his fur as he strode into the clearing.

He had barely walked a mouselenghth before he was hailed by Longtail and Dustpelt.

"Well?" Firestar prompted. Longtail spoke up first.

"I've not been Fernpaw's mentor for long, but after seeing her in the BloodClan battle, I believe she is ready to become a warrior."

"Ashpaw too." Duspelt put in.

'I agree." Firestar meowed. "We will hold the ceremony at sunhigh." Dustpelt and Longtail nodded and bounded across the clearing to the apprentices den. They crouched beside the two young cats and mewed urgently to them. Firestar watched as the apprentices' gazes changed from curiosity to delight as their mentors spoke with them.

Sunhigh came and Firestar flexed his powerful muscles and leaped up onto Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting." He lowered his gaze as his cats gathered together. "come forward, you two." He beckoned to Ashpaw and Fernpaw, who were standing with Longtail and Dustpelt. The two gray cats stepped forward and Firestar spoke again. "I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices, they have worked hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." The apprentices' eyes shone as Firestar turned to look down on them. "Ashpaw, Fernpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Ashpaw stated, trying to sound calm.

"I do" Fernpaw echoed her brother

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Ashpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ashfur, StarClan honors your courage and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Fernpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ferncloud, StarClan honors your patience and your understanding and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar dropped from Highrock and rested his muzzle on Ashfur's head. The new warrior gave his shoulder a respectful lick and Firestar did the same to Ferncloud, and she copied her brother's movements.

"Ashfur! Ferncloud! Ashfur! Ferncloud!" the chorus of mews rose from the assembled cats and they stood to congratulate the new warriors.

Firestar leaped down from Highrock.

"Graystripe," Firestar called to his deputy. "I want a sunhigh patrol. Send them along the river to Sunningrocks, check for fresh RiverClan scent, I wouldn't put it past Leopardstar to make a move right after we are all tired from the BloodClan battle."

"Right you are, I'll get a patrol right now." Meowed Graystripe. Firestar purred as he watched his eager deputy.

"Firestar!" the new voice was Bramblepaw, Firestar's apprentice.

"What is it, Bramblepaw?"

Bramblepaw looked upset. "Speak," Firestar ordered. The young cat looked up at him.

"I'm the only apprentice in training, we might appear weak to the other Clans if we don't have many warriors. How are we expected to gain power if we have no warriors?" Firestar saw a flicker of Tigerstar's ambition in the young cat and he had to stop himself from flinching when Bramblepaw said the word 'power'.

"Don't worry." He mewed to Bramblepaw. "I'll ask Willowpelt when her kits are ready. It ought to be soon before the apprentice den is full again." His words seemed to soothe his apprentice and Bramblepaw bounded off to the fresh-kill pile.

Firestar padded over to the nursery. He poked his head inside. "Willowpelt," he meowed to announce his presence.

"Firestar, what can I do for you?" the gray she-cat mewed.

"I was just wondering when your kits can begin their apprenticeship." Firestar told her.

"Ah, yes, well, you can see that they are getting much too big for the nursery, I would say in three dawns."

"okay, we can arrange the exact time later, I must round up the cats for the Gathering." Willowpelt nodded and Firestar backed out of the nursery.

"Brackenfur," Firestar called to the ginger tom. At his name, the warrior pricked his ears.

"Yes, Firestar?"

"When Graystripe returns from patrol, send him to me." Brackenfur nodded and Firestar loped off to his den.

Firestar lay in his nest, he almost drifted off to sleep before Graystripe pushed through the slowly growing lichen into the den.

"Brakenfur said that you wanted to see me."

"Yes," Firestar mewed. "I need help choosing mentors for Willowpelt's kits. I know that Sandstorm will mentor Sorrelkit, but what about Sootkit and Rainkit?" the gray deputy looked thoughtful.

"Well, if it's okay with you," he mewed. "I'd like to mentor little Rainkit." Firestar looked at his friend. He was experienced, he'd had an apprentice before, and he would do a great job with Rainkit.

"Of course." Firestar meowed. "the Clan has accepted you as a true ThunderClan warrior, I see no reason why you can't mentor Rainkit. But what about Sootkit? I thought maybe Brackenfur, since he couldn't have Snowkit, Tawnypaw left for ShadowClan, so he could have Sootkit."

"I don't know…" Graystripe looked doubtful and he continued after Firestar shot him a questioning glance. "Sootkit is pretty, well, enthusiastic, bouncing around all the time. Do you really think Brackenfur could manage him? He'd be better off mentoring a quiet, serious cat like himself." Firestar realized that he was right.

"I suppose so. But which warrior could mentor him? Who has an enthusiastic personality?" the ginger warrior asked. Graystipe let out a _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Cloudtail, you mouse-brain!"

"yes, of course! Send him to me, and you can choose the warriors for the Gathering." Graystripe padded out of the den and several heartbeats later, Cloudtail bounded in. The white warrior looked at Firestar.

"What?" he meowed. Firestar looked past the rude greeting and jumped right to the news.

"Would you like to mentor Sootkit?" Firestar asked. Cloudtail looked momentarily stunned.

"I guess you want me to teach him the warrior code, and about 'StarClan' and all the other stuff." Firestar was beginning to look regretful about his choice but Cloudtail spoke again.

"Don't worry, Firestar. I'll teach him your way. If you want him to suffer by the warrior code, then that is what I will teach him." Cloudtail dipped his head and padded out of the den. With a sigh of relief, he followed his nephew. There was a Gathering to attend, and an interesting Gathering it would be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Firestar crouched at the head of a tight knot of ThunderClan warriors and apprentices. He peered down at Fourtrees. The battle with BloodClan had left a faint stench of blood in the air and 6tufts of fur still drifted around the clearing.

Firestar flicked his tail and the Clan pounded down the slope toward Great Rock. RiverClan was already there, and as Firestar went to greet his friend Mistyfoot, more sounds of running paws came from WindClan and ShadowClan territories.

"Greetings, Firestar." The leader turned to see Onewhisker of WindClan bounding up to him with bright eyes.

"Hello, Onewhisker, how's prey running?"

The brown cat answered: "fine, considering newleaf just started." Firestar turned to face Great Rock. Tallstar, Blackstar and Leopardstar were on top of it and he hurried over to join them.

Firestar reached the top in a single bound. The other leaders each gave him a quick nod before Tallstar yowled to signal the start of the meeting.

"Firestar, would you like to start?" asked Tallstar. The ThunderClan leader nodded and stepped to the front of the rock to address the Clans.

"ThunderClan brings to this Gathering our two new warriors, Ashfur and Ferncloud. There has been no sign of BloodClan in our territory and we hope never to scent them again. Our noble deputy, Whitstorm died in the BloodClan battle and his Clan mourns him. Our new deputy is Graystripe."

One by one, the leaders gave their news. All of it was entirely unremarkable, no BloodClan cat was in the area, kits were born, the normal Clan news. Firestar leaped from the rock and called to his warriors to head back to camp.

Three dawns had passed since the Gathering, and Firestar stood on Highrock, calling out the summonings-it was time for Willowpelt's kits to become apprentices. Firestar watched as Willowpelt padded out of the nursery with her three kits.

"Come forward," Firestar rumbled as the kits stepped up to Highrock. "From this day forth, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Sorrelpaw. Sandstorm, you will mentor Sorrelpaw. Whitestorm was your mentor, and I hope you pass on everything you learned to this apprentice." Sandstorm and Sorrelpaw touched noses and padded into the crowd. Firestar looked back at the remaining kits. "From this day forth, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Rainpaw. Graystripe, you will mentor Rainpaw." When they, too, had gone, Firestar rested his gaze on Sootkit. "From this day forth, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Sootpaw. Cloudtail, I was your mentor and I hope you pass on everything you learned to Sootpaw." The meeting ended and the cats dispersed, calling the apprentices by their new names.

Firestar awoke in his den, a quarter moon after the apprentice ceremony. Other cats were stirring in the clearing, and Graystripe bounded out of the warrior's den toward Firestar.

"Who do you want for dawn patrol?" the deputy asked.

"I will lead it." Firestar mewed. "I'll take Sorrelpaw and Sandstorm." The two she-cats heard him and bounded over.

"We should go to the ShadowClan border, no cat has been there fore a while." Sandstorm suggested. Firestar meowed his agreement and they set off out the gorse tunnel.

Firestar listened while Sandstorm tested her apprentice on what she could smell.

"The Thunderpath," Sorrelpaw reported. "And-and a yucky smell, I don't recognize it."

"That's a fox." Sandstorm mewed. Sorrelpaw's eyes grew wide

"And I can smell squirrel! Can we hunt, Sandstorm, please!" the ginger she-cat sighed but nodded.

Firestar pinpointed a squirrel scuffling around in the undergrowth.

He dropped to a hunting crouch but Sorrelpaw beat him to it. She pelted straight at the squirrel, but her hunting skills weren't developed yet and she crashed noisily through the bushes. The squirrel pricked its ears at the sound and scurried off. Sorrelpaw followed it straight in the direction of the Thunderpath!

Firestar and Sandstorm raced through the forest and came out on the oily patch of grass beside the Thunderpath. They came soon enough to see the squirrel slip into the trees on the ShadowClan side of the Thunderpath. Sorrelpaw raced after it and Firestar heard the ominous roaring of a monster.

The last thing Firestar saw before he shut his eyes was the unnatural glint of a monster and Sorrelpaw's frightened eyes as she stood in the center of the Thunderpath.

"NO!" Sanstorm screeched and she shot onto the Thunderpath and grabbed Sorrelpaw by the scruff and dragged her off the hard path. She pushed right passed Firestar and pulled her apprentice all the way back to camp.

"Will she die?" Sandstorm asked Cinderpelt.

"I don't know," Cinderpelt admitted.

"You should know! You're the medicine cat!" snarled Sandstorm. Firestar, Sandstorm and Willowpelt were gathered around Sorrelpaw's small body while Cinderpelt pressed cobwebs onto the apprentice's shoulder. Sorrelpaw had been hit on the shoulder by a monster. Sandstorm was distraught, and Firestar did his best to comfort her. He knew what it was like to have an apprentice injured on the Thunderpath.

Half a moon had passed since Sorrelpaw's accident. Willowpelt never left her daughter's side and Sandstorm was back on her warrior duties, much more cheerful since she discovered that Sorrelpaw was pulling through

"Sandstorm," Firestar called out to the ginger warrior. "I want you to take out a hunting patrol." Sandstorm nodded. "Is there any sign of the other Clans?" Firestar asked, remembering that she had been on the dawn patrol.

"No scent of them, no news at all. But there _is _news," she looked more excited than Firestar had ever seen her. _Well, it can't be news about the other Clans, or she wouldn't be so cheerful._ He thought.

"What's the news?" he meowed. Sandstorm pressed her muzzle to his, her eyes brimming with happiness.

"We're going to have kits" she whispered.

Firestar stood, speechless, Sandstorm's pale ginger fur pressed against his. _Should I make an announcment? _He wondered. Did leaders usually address the Clan when kits were born?_ No, _he decided. Bluestar had never made announcements about kits. He and Sandstorm made for the nursery to get her settled. This was wonderful! Firestar knew that the kits would keep her from grieving for Sorrelpaw.

Firestar spent the whole day with Sandstorm, lying in the nursery. They shared tongues from sunrise to sunset, and that night Firestar did not return to his den. Not only was he excited, he was nervous, too. The first kitting he ever saw had gone terribly wrong and if the same thing happened to Sandstorm, he didn't know what he would do.

"Firestar?" it was Bramblepaw. Firestar looked up as the dark tabby stepped into the nursery. With a jolt, he realized that he had been neglecting his apprentice.

"I'm sorry, Bramblepaw." He mewed before the young cat could speak "I haven't been keeping up with your training. And you're so close to becoming a warrior. I'll take you hunting right now." His apprentice brightened as Firestar scrambled up and they padded out of the nursery.

Firestar watched Bramblepaw creep up on a rabbit. He was certainly a good hunter and when he scented the air, he could pinpoint exactly how stale the scent was.

"Bramblepaw," Firestar meowed. "Let's get back to camp, you have to make yourself a nest in the warriors' den."

They collected their catch and raced back to camp. Firestar automatically leaped up onto Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting." When the whole Clan was assembled, Firestar beckoned Bramblepaw to come forward. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice, he has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Bramblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and promise to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Bramblepaw's answer was strong and clear. "I do"

Firestar continued: "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Bramblepaw, from this moment you will be known as Brambleclaw, StarClan honors your courage and your skill and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Brambleclaw! Brambleclaw!"

The Clan yowled his new name and congratulated him.

"Brackenfur!" Firestar mewed. "take the sunhigh patrol. Get Willowpelt and Longtail to go with you."

As the patrol left, Ferncloud and Dustpelt padded over to him. Firestar turned to them.

"We have great news, Firestar!" Dustpelt declared. "Ferncloud is going to have kits!"

Firestar looked at Ferncloud. She was looking thrilled.

"Congratulations! Ferncloud, you can move to the nursery with Sandstorm." Firestar followed them to the nursery to see Sandstorm. Her belly was getting bigger by the day. He was about to settle down with her when Cloudtail came up to him.

"I'm going to see Princess." He meowed. "Do you want to come?" Firestar glanced at Sandstorm. The ginger she-cat nodded.

"You go ahead," she meowed. "You cam tell her about the kits." Firestar and Cloudtail bounded toward the gorse tunnel. Sootpaw caught up with them. Cloudtail looked at Firestar.

"Can he come?" the white warrior asked. Firestar nodded. They padded through the forest. Cloudtail explained to Sootpaw while they walked and after Cloudtail finished, Sootpaw questioned his mentor all the way to Twolegplace.

"Princess," Firestar called to her and in a few heartbeats she came bounding over to them.

"Firestar! Cloudtail!" she purred.

"This is Sootpaw." Cloudtail announced. "He's my apprentice." While Princess spoke to the two younger cats, Firestar wondered what she would say when he told her about the kits.

"And Firestar wants to tell you something." Cloudtail added when they were done talking apprentices. Princess looked expectantly at her brother.

"I'm going to have kits." He blurted.

"_you?_" Princess gasped. Cloudtail couldn't suppress a _mrrow_ of laughter.

"No," Firestar mewed. "Sandstorm is going to have my kits."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Firestar returned to camp alone. Cloudtail and Sootpaw had gone hunting he padded toward the nursery. Sandstream and Ferncloud were chatting together and they only noticed him when he curled up beside Sandstorm. Happiness swelled inside him like a balloon. His kits, in ThunderClan.

A loud wailing came from the gorse tunnel, puncturing Firestar's happiness. He jumped up and scrambled into the clearing. Brackenfur's patrol had returned. Longtail and Brackenfur were dragging a gray body into camp, and Firestar recognized it as Willowpelt.

"We met a badger." gasped Brackenfur. "It came out of the trees and grabbed Willowpelt…" his words trailed off. Firestar pressed his fur against the young warrior.

Longtail padded up to them and sat down. "Firestar," he mewed. "When we were driving off the badger, I-I discovered I couldn't see that well. I think I'm going blind, Firestar! I must join the elders now." Firestar nodded.

"You have served your Clan well, Longtail."

"I will go as well." It was Frostfur. "I'm getting too old for a warrior life." Firestar nodded and watched the two cats padd away to the elders' den.

Firestar woke up. He was in the nursery. It had been four dawns since Willowpelt's death. Her kits were distraught, but Rainpaw and Sootpaw decided they would be the best warriors they could be to make their dead parents proud of them. At the rate they were working, they might be warriors sooner then they thought. Sorrelpaw was still fighting her injuries in Cinderpelt's den.

Firestar stretched and padded out of the nursery. He decided that he would hunt. He bounded out of the gorse tunnel and padded through the forest, ears pricked for the sound of prey. He saw a mouse scuffling about the roots of a tree. He crouched down and moved stealthily through the undergrowth. He pounced and killed it within a few heartbeats.

Firestar continued hunting until he had all that he could carry. He paused at the entrance to camp to adjust his grip on the prey. He was about to continue into camp when Thornclaw came barreling out of camp and cannoned into him. When the young cat realized he'd hit Firestar he spoke.

"Cinderpelt sent me…Sandstorm's begun her kitting! I'll take this fresh kill." He mewed. Firestar dropped his prey and rocketed into camp and toward the nursery. By the time he got there, Sandstorm was lying on her side, suckling two tiny she-kits.

Firestar stared breathlessly at them. He leaned down next to Sandstorm

"They're the most beautiful kits in the forest." He murmured. Firestar and Sandstorm lay together until sunhigh. "they need names." Firestar realized out loud. Sandstorm nodded and they gazed at the kits. "that one has one white paw." He observed, pointing with his muzzle to one of the kits. "Why don't we call her Pawkit?"

"We can't name her Pawkit, you mouse-brain," Sandstorm mewed.

"Why not?"

"Because when she becomes an apprentice, her name would be Pawpaw."

"Okay, what should we name them?" Firestar meowed. He looked around the nursery and his gaze landed on Ferncloud, who was eating a squirrel. Sandstorm was looking at the canopy of leaves over the nursery.

"That's it!" Sandstorm and Firestar spoke at the same time.

"Leafkit!" Sandstorm mewed

"Squirrelkit!" Firestar said. They looked at each other. "The ginger kit will be Squirrelkit, the brown kit will be Leafkit!"

They lay together until the moon set, their gaze never moving from their kits.

"Firestar!" the ginger tom turned his head to see Graystripe calling out to him. He was standing with Cloudtail. "Firestar," Graystripe mewed again. "Will you come on dawn patrol with us? I think you should see their warrior skills."

"Okay," Firestar leaped to his paws and raced out of the nursery. Sootpaw and Rainpaw were having a mock battle. Firestar had to admit that they were good fighters. He called out to them and together the five cats padded out of the gorse tunnel.

Firestar made his was to the nursery two dawns later. He stepped into the protected clearing to see that two new arrivals had come: Ferncloud had kitted. Firestar's own kits were sniffing suspiciously at the new kits. Sandstorm came and batted them lightly away.

"You can't play with them yet, they are too young." She explained. Leafkit shrugged and sat down and watched Squirrelkit pounce on Sandstorm's tail. Sandstorm batted her away and Leafkiy rushed over to her sister and told her to lie still.

"What are they doing?" Firestar asked.

"It's a game they have," mewed Sandstorm. "Squirrelkit pretends to be a brave warrior and gets injured and Leafkit pretends she is a medicine cat and she heals her sister. That's the only game they ever play."

Firestar watched Leafkit help Squirrelkit stand up, and the ginger kit pounced again. Then she noticed her father.

"Can I be a warrior now?' she mewed.

"And when can I be a medicine cat?" Leafpaw questioned.

"Not for a while yet." Their father answered. Sandstorm walked over.

"Firestar, have you met Shrewkit and Spiderkit yet?" The ginger she-cat nodded toward Ferncloud's kits. Firestar looked at the small bundles. Dustpelt stood over her and he opened his mouthto speak when an interruption arrived in the form of Brightheart. Cloudtail padded in after her.

"Are you two here to see the new arrivals?" meowed Dustpelt. Cloudtail shook his head.

"We're here to _add _to the new arrivals" the white warrior announced. "Brightheart is going to have kits!."

A moon had passed since Brightheart had entered the nursery. She had had a single kit- Whitekit. Firestar was in Cinderpelt's den, checking on Sorrelpaw.

"She'll be fine." Cinderpelt insisted. "She has an infection, though, but nothing I can't handle." Firestar noticed how scatterbrained Cinderpelt was.

"Cinderpelt, do you need any help around here?" Firestar mewed. The gray she-cat looked up.

"I wouldn't say no to an apprentice." She admitted.

"Good." Firestar meowed. "Leafkit has her heart set on being a medicine cat, though it will be four moons until she's old enough."

Firestar padded out of the den to see Graystripe and Cloudtail bounding up to him. Graystripe spoke first.

"Sootpaw and Rainpaw are ready to become warriors." He meowed. Firestar nodded. He had seen the two apprentices on a patrol two dawns ago and he knew that they were ready.

"We will have the ceremony now." He decided. The ginger tom leaped on to Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting." He beckoned to Sootpaw and Rainpaw and they both stepped forward, looking bewildered. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to warriors in their turn. Sootpaw, Rainpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Rainpaw was quivering so much that Firestar was impressed that his voice was steady.

"I do." Sootpaw mewed confidently

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Sootpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sootfur. StarClan honors your intelligence and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Rainpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rainwhisker. StarClan honors you quick thinking and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." After he had placed his muzzle on the head of each new warrior. He stood while the Clan yowled out:

"Sootfur! Rainwhisker! Sootfur! Rainwhisker!"

"Firestar! Firestar!" the ginger tom's good mood faltered slightly as he saw Cinderpelt charge out of the elders' den. "One-eye is dying! And I can't find Smallear!"

"Graystripe, take a patrol to find Smallear!" Firestar meowed. "Cinderpelt, is there anything to do for One-eye?"

"I don't think so." The medicine cat sighed. "She's just so old, and she's not sick. She is dying of old age."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Firestar sat at the entrance to camp, waiting for Graystripe's return. When he heard scuffling at the gorse tunnel, he rose, and saw Graystripe, Thornclaw and Mousefur dragging Smallear Back to camp.

"He was at the bottom of the ravine, he must have slipped and fallen…" Graystripe mewed. Firestar nodded and scrambled up to Highrock. He yowled the summons and the Clan padded out of their dens and sat below him. When the last cat appeared, Firestar spoke.

"Smallear left camp, StarClan knows why. He was climbing the ravine and it seems that he fell to his death. Our other elder, One-eye, is very old and peacefully died today of old age. Both cats served ThunderClan well and now they sit vigil with their denmates. Tomorrow we will hold the burial." He dropped from Highrock and subconsciously padded into the nursery.

Squirrelkit, Shrewkit and Spiderkit were scuffling on the ground. Leafkit looked on; ready to jump to the rescue in case any cat got 'injured'. Brightheart say with her tail wrapped protectively around Whitekit, for the tiny she-kit was not old enough to play yet.

Firestar touched noses with Sandstorm, and together they watched their kits tumbling about. _What fine cats they will make._ Thought Firestar. And he lay down with his mate for the night.

"We are gathered here to name four apprentices." Firestar called to his Clan, and he gazed down on his own two kits, pride swelling inside him. Beside them stood Ferncloud's kits. "From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Squirrelpaw. Dustpelt, you will mentor Squirrelpaw. I hope you pass all your warrior skills to your new apprentice. Cinderpelt tells me that she is ready to take on a medicine cat apprentice. So from this day forward, until she has earned her full medicine cat name, this apprentice will be known as Leafpaw. Cinderpelt, I hope you pass on everything Yellowfang taught you, to this new apprentice. From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be Spiderpaw. Mousefur, you will mentor Spiderpaw. I hope you pass on your warrior skills to this apprentice. From this day forth, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Shrewpaw. Thornclaw, you will mentor Shrewpaw. Mousefur was your mentor and I hope you pass on everything she taught you to your apprentice."

"Squirrelpaw! Leafpaw! Spiderpaw! Shrewpaw!" the Clan yowled out the names and Firestar had to call them back to order.

"I have one more announcement to make." Firestar called out to the ThunderClan cats. "Cinderpelt says that Sorrelpaw is healed, and she will continue her training with Sandstorm."

Firestar dropped to the ground when he heard a loud yowling outside camp.

"Let's give them one last taste of TigerClan" the voice belonged to Blackstar, and a heartbeat later, ShadowClan and RiverClan pounded into the camp.

Brightheart pushed Whitekit into the nursery but the little she-kit staggered back out again. Firestar caught sight of her scampering to the gorse tunnel. He had to follow her but Leopardstar leaped in front of him, slashing out with thorn-sharp claws. Firestar shot straight at her and slipped underneath the RiverClan leader. He twisted his paws around hers and tripped her into the dirt. Fast as lightning, he leaped onto her back and bit hard into her ear while sawing at her flank with his claws. He only stopped when she squealed for mercy, and she shot off out of camp.

They were losing. ThunderClan was no match for ShadowClan and RiverClan combined. He spotted Thornclaw pinned down by three warriors and he sprang to help but a warrior Firestar recognized as Blackclaw leaped onto Firestar's back. Before he could do anything, Wetfoot bit down on Firestar's leg. The ginger warrior hiwled with pain and both cats forced him down.

Suddenly, the weight was removed. Firestar looked up to see Onewhisker pulling Blackclaw off of him. Together they clawed Wetfoot until he ran off and Firestar turned to Onewhisker.

"How did you know we needed help?"

"Whitekit came to our camp and told us that cats were attacking your camp." Firestar was stunned. He and Onewhisker glanced at the battle raging around them and saw that the tables had turned. RiverClan and ShadowClan were beaten, and the WindClan and ThunderClan yowled in triumph as the last few warriors raced off.

Later that day, Firestar told the story of how Whitekit had pretty much saved them all. She was approaching her sixth moon and Firestar stood on Highrock for the apprentice ceremony.

"From this day forth, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Whitepaw. Brackenfur, you will mentor Whitepaw." As Firestar rested his muzzle on Whitepaw's head, he listened to the yowls of the Clan.

"Whitepaw! Whitepaw!"

Firestar felt happiness swelling inside him as he watched the Clan cluster around Whitepaw. He was leader of this Clan: ThunderClan, the strongest Clan of them all.

The End


End file.
